Week Forty-Four: Keep it Simple

When things get excessively complicated and seem to be ready to take over, I often find it is easiest to merely force a simplification of matters. Sometimes that means sliding out of the picture and into the shadows, and sometimes it means just going at things one small chunk at a time. Like a wee bird who has a lovely kind mum chopping up his food into easily consumable bites. Though how she holds the knife I'm not sure. The paper due at the close of this week might have been better handled if such a philosophy had been applied. The small chunks of things, not the chopped up bird food. No matter. Things get done by hook or by crook. And photos get taken. I opted to feature one object against one piece of construction paper, and then give each the shadow treatment.

Day 1 (302): 6th of October
Another Manic Monday. Don't really wish it were Sunday. Sunday's just the day before Monday. And lately that means Homework Day. Also Blog Day, but that's hardly a chore. Right. To the photos. Or rather the photo. Can it be plural if I use two versions of the same photo? I do like the yellow on purple combination, but didn't really get the angle I wanted on the light. Probably could have gotten an external light to balance it, but wanted to use natural light this time, and it was evening when I was shooting.

Went rather dark on this, and I really like it. Makes the Pac-Man look all horror film-ish.

Day 2 (303): 7th of October
Another evening light shot, this time a candle on yellow paper. One of these days I'll sort out the lighting of white things. Always goes a bit shiny when I have a lot of light. Probably a simple solution. Must look into it.

Surprisingly, the light colour on light colour went black and white rather nicely. Except for the excess shiny on the candle.

Day 3 (304): 8th of October
Not sure about today. Went home via the dodgier route, and randomly decided to throw in the Black Hawk Down soundtrack (have been in a throwback music mode lately). Was cranking it as I blew around a curve by a bunch of local Somalis, and as I looked back at them I felt a tiny bit odd. Not that they had anything to do with those events; these kids are maybe 25. But I've no idea what the foreign language songs on that CD are saying, so I just hope it wasn't anything obscene. So this is a knife I recently added to the collection. Dragon Cycle!

Kind of an odd black and white here. Probably went too heavy on the vignette. And the TiltShift. Ah well.

Day 4 (305): 9th of October
Whatever will the future bring. Will this thing I have to do happen the way it should? Will I finish my paper in time? It is due Sunday and I've done little more than research for it. Magic Eight Ball says "Most Likely." I'll take that as a yes. Must photoshop out the sticky residue from the label I affixed that reads "Do Not Shake Me." Why do people always shake the Eight Ball?

Really like the way this one went greyscale. Less heavy on the vignette this time.

Day 5 (306): 10th of October
A blessed Day Off. And after last night, all I can say is Thank Goodness for odd holidays based on controversial historical figures. Spending most of this w/end doing homework and writing a paper I've procrastinated too much. Means I don't get to go to Stockholm with my friends. I suck at things. Like getting the wind to not blow at inopportune moments whilst I photograph things. This mask was a gift from by best friend in elementary school. She gave it to me in the fourth grade (or thereabouts). We're no longer really friends, but the mask is lovely and has some nice memories associated with it. Funny how that happens with friends.

Again in the black and white / greyscale. And again with the vignette. Not too heavy with this one.

Day 6 (307): 11th of October
Another day. Another go at the homework. Tried to go in to the office to get it done, but after taking the wrong way / long way (thanks, autopilot) I got out of my car and halfway up to the office before realising I'd left my access badge. Well done, Rodeo. Decided to sit in the car and read for a bit before getting back on the road. Brain Death is a grand thing. So is my Mars necklace on black paper.

Let the barest hint of red come through the black and white and I think it gives it a neat look.

Day 7 (308): 12th of October

The fact that this is listed as day 300 makes me think I've mis-numbered a few times along the way and am now all wrong. Seems between now and 9th December there are fewer than 65 days, but short going back through each day and fixing it, there is little to be done at this juncture. So I give you my regression to grade school and my attempt to safely use scissors and freestyle cut out zeroes. Thought about using the halves of my morning bagel as the zeroes, but my stomach had other ideas. Thus is the small butter smear on the top of the three. You'd probably not have noticed it had I not said anything, but there we are.

Went a bit mad with the vignette level, but the whole photo looks a bit less insane in greyscale.  

And because I am incapable of just leaving well enough alone and letting a thing be a thing, I give you a strangely composed, hastily shot, oddly edited photo of a blossom on the lemon tree.

Bit of a round-ish theme again this week, but done in rather a more useful (photographically speaking) manner. 

Week Forty-Three: Round and Round

What did the parallelogram say to the circle?
"Not to take sides, here, mate, but you have to admit, you're pretty pointless."
Round things. Circle things. Reminds me of a song from my youth about a wheel of cheese. The line, "round it goes, cheese cheese cheese, wheel wheel wheel" comes starkly to mind. As you can see, some of last week's madness has carried over. Or perhaps it is just part of the perpetual state of semi-madness wherein exists my brain.

Day 1 (295): 29th of September
A blonde has just gotten a new sports car. She cuts out in front of a semi, and almost causes it to drive over a cliff. The driver furiously motions for her to pull over, and she does. The driver gets out and draws a circle and tells her to stand in it. Then he gets out his knife and cuts up her leather seats. He turns around and sees she's smiling. So he goes to his truck, takes out a baseball bat, and starts busting her windows and beating her car. He looks back to see that she's laughing. He's really mad now, so he takes his knife and slices her tires. He turns around and she's laughing so hard, she's about to fall down. He demands, "What's so funny?" She says, "Every time you weren't looking, I stepped out of the circle!" 

This is a ball. It is my constant companion, and is so good to me.

Day 2 (296): 30th of September
Why are the two blondes on the motorcycle arguing? They're fighting over who gets the window seat.

Two blondes fell down a hole. One said, "It sure is dark down here, isn't it?" The other replied, "I don't know; I can't see."

That's all the jokes for today.

Day 3 (297): 1st of October
OK. No more jokes. For now. I was sitting on the sofa in the evening, and the smell of someone burning foliage drifted in the window. Really love that smell. It always reminds me of the few trips to visit my English grandparents. They had a lovely property and a wonderful riding lawnmower I thought was just the best thing ever. And during at least one trip (probably just the one), they were burning a heap of branches and leaves and other garden detritus, and the smell got planted in my brain forever. Such a nice memory. I miss those days. I miss the two of them, even though they both died before I was even six years old. This sunset needed no editing. So lovely.

Madness in the editing room. It happens.

This is what that thing normally looks like.

Day 4 (298): 2nd of October
No internet again at the house. And just before I left work, I thought to myself, "just do your homework now, just in case the funky weather messed with the ADSL."Then I replied, "Naw. It's probably fine." Obviously that was daft, so I got home, saw the dreaded router doing its blinky thing, and jumped back in the car to go in search of wifi. Guh. This was all I had the energy to do. A plate and a bowl. They are round. I had to crop the cat's photobombing tail out of the shot.

Day 5 (299): 3rd of October
So today I added some whisky fudge to my Amazon cart (because of course). This led the Amazon bots to recommend ExOfficio Men's GiveNGo Boxer Brief, and LARABAR Fruit & Nut Food Bar, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Gluten Free. Really not sure what to say about that. Interesting analytical leap, for certain. And that in a week wherein I've had to fight against Other People making analytical leaps unsupported by a net of connected facts and evidence. Such leaps are what make me not get any real normal work done and emphasise my distaste for analysts. One can show them facts and say "this is, quite literally, all we know on this matter," and they will take that to mean a whole host of things that make no sense at all.

I've shot this before, but it fits with the week's theme.

This only sort of does, as the sun is indeed rather circular. But it came out pretty cool.

Day 6 (300): 4th of October
Still no internet, but kind hearts prevail and I am typing this from the sofa in a much too kind friend's apartment. Just finished a goodly chunk of the week's homework and even did some research for the infernal paper due next Sunday. That and this morning I read a whole book, worked out, did laundry, and started to clean my house (didn't get all that far). Such thrilling commentary on the day, to be sure. Though it started right, and that's what matters. Particularly if it means starting with this.

And then it ends with this.

Day 7 (301): 5th of October
The broken ADSL record plays on. But being in a good mood makes it easier to bear. Why am I in such a good mood? Hmmm. Well. Difficult to say, but we'll just go with because. Besides, I'd rather just enjoy it than analyse it to death. Like this, one of the tools of the trade. An older one, but still a goodie.

How do you confuse a blonde? You put her in a round room and tell her to sit in a corner.
How does a blonde confuse you? She comes out and says she did.
What do you call a redhead with a blonde on either side? An interpreter.

Sorry. Jokes came back. As a girl identifying both with the gingers and the blondes, I find the last one quite funny. 

Week Thirty-Seven: The Life Curmudgeonly

A long week, for being a short one. I had one tasker that became a massive goat rope and then after all the work, I got a call from the source of the tasker (in D.C.) who basically said "thanks but that was not what we were looking for. Your command didn't really have equity in this at all." Never a dull day. I recently introduced one of my sailors to the term curmudgeon (by telling him he was one), and after consulting a dictionary, he happily agreed he fits the bill (at 25 years old). Bless. Though for whatever reason I was rather that way myself all week. A more normal girl might blame hormones, but I prefer to blame my brain and my blood sugar and sleep levels.

Day 1 (253): 18th of August
Watching loads of So You Think You Can Dance again (to catch up, you see), made sure my crap mood from earlier (stress-related from ship offload and having to go in to work for a couple hours) was greatly relieved. Nothing like thinking about dancing to make me less cross, though it does make me miss the days when I was rather not terrible at dancing. This is a silly photo of some dancing shoes (if one is mad enough to dance in shoes like these). I couldn't get the light right on the watch face, but really I'd not dance in these any rate.

Let's be honest; these are more my speed for dancing. And pretty much anything else that requires shoes.

Day 2 (254): 19th of August
Yesterday was about dancing shoes, which put me in mind of other articles of clothing associated with cliches. Thus we have the thinking cap. This one is for thinking about v naval things. Or really just thinking about when I can not have to be wearing it any longer. If I'm wearing this it can only mean I'm in one of the more wrinkle-able and rather tedious uniforms. I don't care that they look all fancy and cool; they are a nightmare to care for and to wear and to not stain with sundry food and drink.

Again, we have a thinking cap more my speed. In this I shall think about not-naval things.

Ahhhh. The ultimate salve for a crabby girl. Beautiful sunsets. Can't even remember why I was so cross earlier....

Day 3 (255): 20th of August
A Wednesday that behaves like a Monday - totally unacceptable. I suppose that is what I get for having only a sort of work-y day Monday and a liberty day yesterday. Though in the middle of that day my phone indicated I had a voicemail from work, but all that was in the message was silence and the phone didn't show a missed call. When I called to inquire, no one knew who had called, so I spent the next several hours trying not to worry that it was something bad. I v nearly gave up and went in to work regardless, but my bloody mindedness kicked in and I decided not to let anyone ruin my much deserved day off. So there. Laaaaaaaaaahhh light through the clouds.....

Day 4 (256): 21st of August
Department picnic / hail and bail for new and departing people. At least this time someone brought beer. Almost had to miss it because I am the local "she'll do it" girl, and my rank sometimes distracts people from the realities of my position. Trying to say "if you can't find anyone else, I'll do it" when your brain is trying to direct your mouth to say "bugger off!" is an interesting experience. Wooo Saaah. Just look at the nice clouds, Rodeo, and stop being such a grump.

Not sure about this picture. A BBQ grill without the grill bit. Meh.

Day 5 (257): 22nd of August
I've decided that if anyplace can be a market for the discerning tastes of sophisticated land sharks, that place is the autostrada in Italy. I've heard that the left forearm of the human male is a delicacy, and any land shark with an interest in such things would have a lovely time on the roads here in the summer. Male left arms just hanging in the breeze out car windows, as far as the eye can see. I think the richness comes from the dedication to paying attention to the road. Really adds to the bouquet of the arm. Do pardon the attitude. It does seem to be the thing this week. Between maddening taskers and maddening locals and maddening brains, it really is nearly enough to drive one to drink. If only these grapes were already wine, but they certainly aren't in any hurry, now are they?

Wait, I think I may just possibly have one or two or several bottles in the house... Take your time, grapes. Take your time.

Day 6 (258): 23rd of August
As I was driving today, I heard an odd little thwack just beside my head.  Turns out a fly had been sucked in the passenger window and splatted on the passenger headrest. Quite a thing, that. Poor little bugger had been going about his day getting a little thrill out of flying across traffic on the strada statale. A bit of a thrill seeking fly, he thought he had it down and had avoided getting the windscreen treatment. Cut it a little too close, however, and the little crack of an opening just sucked him in and introduced him to the headrest. He's still there, by the way. I keep thinking the wind will blow away the remains, but no such bloody luck. Makes you think. Or maybe it doesn't. One or the other. On second thought, all this thinking or not thinking makes me just want to curl up with the bunny slippers and a good book I've been needing to finish.

As an interesting aside, I recently received the below in the mail as a thank you for my contribution to an Omaze charity for Make a Wish. I'd already received a t-shirt signed by Mark Hamil, two original Star Wars passports, and a Star Wars Fan Club poster from the '80s. This is a 3D MakerBot of Luke Skywalker's lightsaber hilt signed by John Dykstra, visual effects guru for the films. Pretty neat, no?

Day 7 (259): 24th of August
I GOT TO NEW WATCH DOCTOR WHO TODAY!!! HUZZAH!!! GOOD GRIEF THAT WAS BRILLIANT!!! LET ME WATCH IT AGAIN!!! I AM FAR TOO EXCITED ABOUT THIS!!!
Sorry about that. I get a little excited about my nerd things. Do try to hide your surprise. There is a technique of photography that attempts to split a shot in half diagonally, creating a unique perspective and composition. I've experimented with it in the past, with mixed results. When I stepped outside this morning to have a go with the camera and a chat with the chat, I was greeted by a sight that is so familiar, yet in this instance demanding of capturing. I attempted to make the diagonal split, and while it was not a perfect split, it is a shot of a perfectly lazy feline.

Upon further venturing into the garden (where I've not taken as many photos of late), I realised a) that my landlord cut down / ripped out one of my favourite trees that makes flowers that smell like citrus (but no fruit) and attract loads of bees, and b) that my lemon tree has recently gone bananas (if you'll pardon the expression). For the past two years, this fool tree has had one giant grandpa lemon hanging on one branch, but little else to prove its viability. Apparently the beast awakens and now is simply covered in little bunches like this one.

Been a while since the last garden flower boring photo, and if I'm honest there are not many flowers left to photograph. Found this little guy all alone on his plant.

And this one as well, not far away. I love the little spots in the middle. Like a tiny person dropped tiny dollops of tiny paint in a nice little tiny circle.

So it turns out the crankiness / curmudgeonly behaviour that so characterised the early days of the week just needed time to settle. I probably managed to not burn down too many bridges along the way. All part of my charm, I suppose. A visit from the Doctor (yes, that Doctor) certainly didn't hurt, I am certain. Such AMAZING Doctor Who, too. Really, properly good. So refreshing to see a Scottish actor being a Scottish Doctor. And maybe a little curmudgeonly himself. Just a little. 

Week Thirty-Five: Muscle Memory

Someone should tell August its name is too long. Come to think of it, lots of the months have names too long for polite spelling. And I was born in one of them. March through July are the months for my fingers. December is easy to spell, as I've put it to paper more than any other month in the last 30 years. Now, I don't mean easy to spell in terms of remembering the letters and where they go. I was quite the speller back in the day. I merely refer to the ease and quickness that my clumsy fingers hammer out the letters on a keyboard. Some things we can simply do by feel, as though the fine motor muscles remember things better than the big cognitive muscle that is the brain. My brain for certain is too busy being daft and sorting out when I last bought bread and remembering the name of that one film that one gal was in last year. Leave the muscle memory to the limbs.

Day 1 (239): 4th of August
I've got a lovely bunch of taskers now
There they are sitting in my queue
Real ones, frivolous ones, some I might even do
Give em a go, finish em so
you might have your hullaballoo
I am the keymaster. Nevermind the gate keeper. I just don't want to lose my keys. Takes a fair amount of effort, that. If ever you need a person to misplace things (especially important things, like keys) at essential times, I'm your girl.

Day 2 (240): 5th of August

Don't need me to worry 'bout time 'cause it goes on
Don't want me to tell you it's time to go home
Don't care what I want anymore this is your show
Go ahead with your big plans, leave me alone

Ever have one of those truly terrific Tuesdays that are so spectacularly terrific that the real "T" word that ought to describe them is not really for polite company's ears? Or really the ears of most dock workers.Thus the cranky Billy Joel re-write. And somewhat disturbing bizarre doodles. Honestly... not even sure what these are. I'll stick to photography I think.

Day 3 (241): 6th of August

Ice cream was piña colada, and I got caught in the rain.

I thought about doing yoga, but then I fell from the train. 

Don't like waking up at midnight, watching Dune in a cape.

There's a dream that I wait for but each night it escapes.

I had a great photo of a brilliant sunset this evening, but forgot to add it to my memory stick, so as I finish this at the hotspot, I am alas without. May remember to add it later. One action that gets easier (but sometimes harder) with age is the turning off (and the setting of) bedside alarms. I do hate it when they pull me from a really great dream. And announce a long day of being chained to a desk. Yay.  

Day 4 (242): 7th of August
Well I never gargled, I never gambled,
I never smoked at all
Until I met my two good amigos
Nick Teen and Al K. Hall
I may not smoke, but I do love this particular Rolf Harris song. So much so that I'm not even giving it the usual snarky re-write treatment. Al K. and I have had some good times and some not so good times, but sometimes he is just what the doctor ordered.

This one is a bit more fun.

Day 5 (243): 8th of August

Life is a beautiful thing
As long as I play the strings
And you're silly so I say
If you try to take them away
Really, I mean that. You may lose a digit or two. Not saying the things will be ripped from my cold dead hands. That's a bit dramatic, no? But I do love my guitars. I call them Florence and the Machine, because I named the first one Felix, and the other two by default became Florence and Rupert. Florence is pictured. She was an impulse buy. Who impulse buys a guitar? (P.S. Sorry for the re-write, Frankie).

She's just so pretty, and who here hasn't done silly things for the sake of the pretty ones?

Day 6 (244): 9th of August
But promises you know what they're for
It sounds so convincing, but you've heard it before
'Cause talk is cheap and you gotta be sure
And so you put up your guard
And you try to be hard but your heart says try again
I think I'm past the snark of the week, so I'll leave Ms. Benatar's lyrics alone. Best to just let the fingers do the talking and only say what needs said. Even if those fingers are not the best at typing.

Day 7 (245): 10th of August
Sunday mornin', praise the dawnin'
It's just a restless feelin' by my side
Early dawnin' Sunday mornin'
It's just the wasted years so close behind
Watch out, the world's behind you
There's always someone around you
who will call
It's nothin' at all.
Thanks for that one, Mr. Reed. I'll drink to Sunday mornings. But only if tea is what's on the menu. Do love a good cuppa to start the day.

Much like memories, most of these ended up in Black and White. Cannot say for sure, but it might have something to do with having odd-looking hands.